


Advise Us Pow Wow

by SSDSnape



Series: Bamfylde Saga [6]
Category: To Serve Them All My Days - R. F. Delderfield
Genre: Adult Boyer, Adult Hislop, Asking for Advise, David's POV, Gen, Headmaster Powlett-Jones, Post WWII, Shell-Shocked!Boyer & Hislop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 11:52:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12058434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSDSnape/pseuds/SSDSnape
Summary: It's been a year since the end of the Second War and on Founders Day at Bamfylde, Headmaster Powlett-Jones gets a surprising visit from two old boys: Chad Boyer and Richard Hislop. They were both invalided out of the war thanks to shell-shock, a month or two before Armistice. Now they want to return to their old school to teach, but are both unsure of how to cope. Who better to ask about such things than their old History teacher - who went through it himself.





	Advise Us Pow Wow

Myself and old Algy Herries were out on the grounds shaking hands of parents and alumni, chatting and having a laugh or two about this and that. Today was Founders Day 1946 and the sun was shining as cricket was being played, while the lower year boys were running about having a jolly good time of it. 

 

Soon I made my way back towards the school. As walked I could hear Algy's voice rise with joy as he greeted someone or other. I smiled and continued walking through the door, across the entrance hall and up the stairs to my office. I entered my rooms and walked over to my desk and sat down. I looked down at the paperwork and was just reaching for my pen, when there was a knock upon my door.  
"Come." I said as I began to write.  
The door opened and two sets of treads upon my floor came in. The door shut and the treads crossed my floor. 

 

"I'm very busy." I said, not looking up.  
"Same old Pow Wow." Said one of the two with a light chuckle.  
I stopped writing and looked up. Two young men in uniform stood before. RAF uniform.  
"You haven't forgotten us already, have you sir? It's only been, what..."  
"Chad Boyer." I replied, standing up smiling broadly. "It's good to see you!"  
"Likewise, sir." Chad said, as he shook David's hand.  
I looked to Chad's companion.  
"Hislop?"  
"Mr Pow Wow, sir." Hislop smiled back, also shaking my hand. "It's been too long." 

 

They had grown into fine young men.  
It was then as I looked them over that I noticed the slight shakes the both of them had.  
"Come and sit down." I said, stepping in between them with each of my hands on Chad's left should and Richard Hislop's right, and guided them over to the settee. Once I had handed both of them a drink and poured one for myself, I then sat down in the armchair that Howarth had occupied many times before he died. I looked up at the mantelpiece to the packet of Gold Flake cigarettes and the box of matches sitting beside it. I kept them in memory of my oldest and dearest friend. I shook my head a little and looked at the boys... young men sitting before me.  
"How have you two been?" I asked.  
"We've been on the mend, sir." Chad said.  
"Took nearly as long it did you, sir." Richard went on. "We got invalided out three months before Armistice."  
"Shell-shock?" I asked.  
They nodded and knocked back their drinks. 

 

"I take it that you didn't simply come here today just to see the old place, Algy and myself?" I asked.  
"We wondered, sir," Richard went on, suddenly awkward, "if you would let us come back to teach."  
"I'd be delighted to have you both. What do you wish to teach?"  
"Well," Chad replied. "I'm very good at maths now, sir. I know. I was surprised too." He laughed. "Old Dick here, he's good at Science and English." 

 

"Out of the two, I'd prefer to teach English." Richard said.  
I nodded.  
"You're in luck. I am in need of both a Maths teacher and an English teacher. Old Howarth passed us two years before the Second War started. Ever since then all I've had were part time teachers. They never stayed on." I replied.  
"When can we start, sir?"  
"Any time you like. Now even, if you have your belongings with you. If not, we can send for them. I'm sure I have some things you can borrow." 

 

................. 

 

Three days passed when a knock rapped upon my door again. Chad and Richard came in shaking uncontrollably.  
I helped them to the nearest chairs.  
"How did you manage teaching us, sir?" Chad asked, looking close to tears.  
Richard looked the same.  
I sat down in between them and told them. 

 

"It took time and help and encouragement from a kind Headmaster and his wife," I finished, "along with a chain-smoking English Master and one pupil by the name of Chad Boyer."  
"Was I really that bad, sir?" Chad asked amused.  
"No, not really. Your acting skills needed a bit more work back then." I replied.  
"Ah. The fit." Richard said. "I heard about that."  
I nodded and poured out another round of scotch.  
"Things will get better for you both," I said, "with time. I am living proof after all."


End file.
